Desktops

How to Choose a New PC Case

Aug 2, 2012 6:00 PM
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If you aren't a dedicated PC builder, the last thing you probably think about is your PC case. But there are a number of good reasons for moving to a new chassis: You might need space for more components; you might want more cooling; you might long for some fancy features such as clear side panels or glowing fans and lights; or you might be interested in upgrading your front-panel connectors to support the latest and greatest connection types.

Whatever your reason for considering a new shell, we'll walk you through the process of selecting one--and we'll look at how to move the parts and pieces from your old case into your new case smoothly and efficiently.

Choose a Suitable Case

PC cases fall into three broad categories: Budget, Midrange, and High-End. But a relatively inexpensive case isn't necessarily worse than an expensive one.

Budget Bonanza

A typical budget case is inexpensive ($20 to $40), rectangular, and featureless. In other words, it's a nondescript replacement case with few special features to help you fit more components into your rig, tidy up your cables, or install your system's current components easily.

Budget cases tend to be plain, functional, and utterly ordinary.

If you want the barest possible enclosure for your PC's parts, have no interest in expanding your case's features or available connections beyond what you currently have, or want to spend as little as possible on a new case, you go budget. You'll get what you pay for with these models in this price range.

Midrange Medley

In this category, prices run from $75 to $200, and you'll find considerable variation in design and construction.

Midrange cases typically offer handy features such as soundproofing, cable channels for routing wires, and extra connection ports.

These cases may have (or lack) a number of features that suit your needs. The most important variable to consider is case dimensions, since you'll want to know at the outset that your new chassis can hold all of your system's components without difficulty. Problems may arise if, for example, you have an extralong video card that won't fit into a case because of its internal layout. If you have multiple cables, liquid cooling tubes, or huge CPU coolers to accommodate, triple-check that your PC parts will fit comfortably within a prospective new case before buying it.

Also, make sure that your new case can support all of your 3.5-inch and 5.25-inch devices. And don't buy a three-bay case if your system uses a four-drive RAID array.

In appraising the raw design of the case, consider whether its accouterments--such as a big door covering the front panel, lighting effects that you can't turn on and off manually, or a manual cooling bar that falls out of the case whenever you pop off the side panel--contribute more nuisance than neatness.

Will the case's overall design be practical six months after you purchase it? If you buy a soundproof case in the winter, will your system be able to handle the hotter interior temperatures that occur during summertime? Keep the big picture in mind, and don't let eye-catching details lead you astray.

Here are some other important questions to ask: What kind of connections come built into the case's front panel (or sides, depending on its design)? Does the case deliver true internal headers for its connections or just pass-through cables? Are the case's USB ports upside-down? Is the case screwless? Does it come with fans preinstalled? How loud are they when you fire up a system? What other fan configurations could you mount?

For liquid cooling enthusiasts, what size radiators does the case support? How easily could you mount one externally or internally? Does the case come with motherboard standoffs, or are they built into the motherboard tray? Can you remove the motherboard tray separately from the case? Can you install or tweak the backplane of a CPU cooler without having to remove the entire motherboard? What options does the case provide for managing the system's cables?

High-End Heaven

Once you break the $200 barrier, you have to deal with manufacturers who sometimes let their imaginations run wild, resulting in PC cases that may be flashier than they are functional. So don't let an expensive case's ingenious design blind you to potential shortcomings in its usefulness. A manufacturer may go to great lengths to craft a killer yet functional design for its unique chassis, or it may slap an outlandish design or a few gimmick features on a case that is unpleasant to work with.

The Lian-Li PC-P80NB is an ATX full-tower case roomy enough to hold every component you could dream of.

Cases at the high end of the spectrum may come with a ton of cooling, fan controllers, and other switchable features built directly into the chassis. Some may cover every inch of the inside surface with soundproof acoustic foam; others may come with water-cooling loops built into the chassis, like the Logisys CS8009BK. And finally, some cases may be expensive simply because they're huge: The Lian-Li PC-P80NB, for example, can support 11 PCI devices and 10 hard drives, and comes with six preinstalled fans (five 14-centimeter fans, and one 12-centimeter fan). If that meets your PC building needs, buy it; otherwise, steer clear.

Next: Transfer your PC's components to the new case.